(100 great changes) Why marathon so popular in China?

On November 6, 2022, the 40th Beijing Marathon started with a pistol shot. Facing the course of 42.2 kilometers, racers dashed from Tiananmen Square, running to the destination – the Landscape Avenue in the Olympic Park.

Over the past decade, marathon race has been more and more popular and interesting in China. According to a blue book of marathons in China held in 2019 released by the Chinese Athletics Association, nationwide marathon and related racing events increased from 51 sessions in 2014 to 1,828 sessions in 2019, the total number of participants up to 7.13 million.

The upsurge of marathon sports shows that sports fitness is booming among the public in China. Sports, from football, basketball to aerobics and Tai Chi, from traditional body-building to fashionable and diversified exercises, are all favored by the public, including children, college students, office workers and the elderly. As national fitness campaign is rising with passion, an era of national fitness has arrived.

National fitness campaign in China benefits from legal protection and infrastructure improvement. In June 2022, the Law of the People's Republic of China on Physical Culture and Sports was revised. The law specifies that the state carries out the national strategies of Fitness-for-All, to build a public service system for national fitness, supporting citizens to take part in physical activities.

By the end of 2021, there were 3.97 million sports venues all over China, covering 3.41 billion square meters in total and 2.41 square meters per capita. Over the past decade, the conditions for the public to take physical exercises have been improved, thus meeting public fitness needs.

Thriving sports signal a powerful nation, and vice versa. National fitness campaign ensures improving national physique and health level. We should keep integrating national fitness campaign with national healthcare to achieve a "Healthy China."

General Producers: Yu Lan Hu Fang

Producer: Wu Qingcai

Executive Producer: Zeng Nai

General Directors: Chen Xingang Wang Kai

Chief Editors: Cao Hangyu Ma Xueling

General Coordinators: Zhao Anyuan Ren Shuai Zhu Na

Translator: Tang Xuan

Screenwriters: Zhao Zilong Shao Ruoxi Dong Yufei

English Reviewers: Jiang Lu Zhou Jing Qi Yiling

Voice Actor: Tang Xuan

Publicity Directors: Wang Shanshan Fang Min Zhou Jing